Vertical water-tube boiler with removable combustion chamber



19, 1952 c. T. DENKER ETAL VERTICAL WATER TUBE BOILER WITH REMOVABLECOMBUSTION CHAMBER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 15, 1948 Aug. 19, 1952 QNKER ETAL 2,607,325

, VERTICAL WA R TU LER WITH REMOVABLE COMBU CHAMBER Filed D80. 15, 19485 Sheets-Sheet 2 J1 II &

, @0125. Dal/aka ([01:10 7/ll001/16 g- 1952 c. T. DENKER EI'AL 2,607,325

. VERTICAL WATER TUBE BOILER WITH REMOVABLE COMBUSTION CHAMBER 3Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 15, 1948 a 1 w w J V i I T. c Y 1 m 4/ 1%?0 l/H f i I I 3 wall 3 I, and the forward end portions of the top wall 28,the bottom wall 29 and the side walls 32 and 33 preferably have asuitable refractory material such as fire clay, fire brick, or the like,disposed thereon. to afford a lining L for the chamber 38. l

The heat-exchange unit 24 comprises an upper header 4!] and a lowerheader 42 interconnected by a plurality of water tubes 44, the watertubes affording passageways through which a liquid such as water to beheated in the boiler 26, may pass from one to the other of the headers40 and 42. Individual fire tubes 46, are mounted in each of the watertubes 44 in spaced relation to the side walls thereof, and the firetubes 46 extend upwardly and downwardly through the headers 46 and 42,respectively.

The header 40 is substantially rectangular in form and relatively flat,comprising a top wall 48, a bottom wall 49, a rear wall 50, a front walland two side walls 52 and 53. In the construction of the header 40 weprefer to form the top wall 48, the front wall 5|, and the side walls 52and 53, from a single sheet of suitable material such as, for example,sheet metal, and to form the rear wall 50 and the bottom wall 49 of asingle sheet of suitable material such as, for example sheet metal, andto thereafter secure the two units together by suitable means such aswelding 55.

The header 42 comprises a top wall 57, a bottom wall 58, a rear wall 59,a front wall 69 and two side walls 6| and 62 and, as a matter of fact,is substantially the same as the header 40 with the exception that therear wall 59,'instead of the front 'wall 60 is arcuately-shaped. Infact, in the commercial production of our novel boiler 26-, the upperheader 40 and the lower header '42 are'preferably interchangeable, thelowerheader 42 merely comprising a header constructed in thesame manneras the upper header 49 but being turned end over end and disposed ininverted position so that what comprise the top wall 46, bottom wall49-, front Wall 5|, and rear wall 59 of the upper header 40 are disposed'to afford the bottom wall 58,the top wall 57, the

rear wall 59; and the front wall 60 of the lower header 42.

The water tubes 44, Fig. 1, extend through the bottom wall 49 of theheader 49 and the top wall 51 of the header 42 and are preferablyconnected thereto in sealing relation therewith by suitable means suchas welding. Similarly, the fire tubes 46, which extend through the watertubes 44, extend through the top wall 48 and the bottom wall 49 of theupper header 40 and through the top wall 51 andthe bottom wall 58 of thelower header 42, and are connected to the walls 48, 49, 51 and 58 insealed relation thereto by suitable meanssuch as by welding.

Suitable means, s uch'a s, for example, a circulation pump P, which isadapted to be connected to a source of supply, not shown, by a pipe orconduit 64, is connected to the longitudinal central portion of the rearwall 59 of the lower header 42 by a pipe or conduit 65, is afforded forfeeding water or other liquid to be heated in'the boiler 20 into theheaders 42 and 40 and the water tubes 44, the pipe 65 extending throughthe partition wall 34.

An outlet pipe 61 may be mounted in the upper wall 28 of the housinghand may be connected to the central longitudinal portion of the endwall 5| of the upper header 40 to afford means for feeding water fromthe headers 40 and 42 a manner that the headers 40' andi42 are disposedat a slight, acute angle to the horizontal therein, with the front endportions of the headers 49 and 42 disposed above the rear end portionsthereof, and with the water tubes 44 rearwardly inclined at a relativelysmall, acute angle to the vertical. Support of the heat-exchange unit 24in this position may be effected by a bracket 69 mounted on thepartition wall 34, and on which the rear end portion of the header 4!!is disposed, and by the outlet pipe 61 and the inlet pipe 65 whichextend through the top wall 23 and the partition wall 34, respectivelyof the housingr22. t d a An opening H, Figs. 1 and 2, is formed in thecentral portion of the partition wall 34, and a n exhaust duct i3 isconnected thereto and-pro"- jects 'rearwardly therefrom out through therear wall 39 of the housing 22 and affords means whereby combustionproducts may be fed from the combustion chamber 38 outwardly of thehousing 22, as will be discussed in greater detail presently. d f Theremovable firebox 26 is substantially drawer-like in form, comprising abottom wall 15., a rear wall 16, a front wall 11, Fig. l, and two sidewalls 18 and 19, Fig. ,2, and is mounted in the lower end portion'of thechamber 38' and rests on the :bottom Wall 29 of thehousing 22, the walls15-19 beingpformed of suitable refractoi'y materialsuch'as fire clay,fire brick, .or'the like. The firebox 26 is 'of such'size that it may beslid inwardly and outwardly through an open: ing 8| formed in the frontwall 3| ofvthe housing 22, and the walls of the firebox 26 aresoconstituted and arranged that when the firebox 26 is disposed in normaloperating position within the housing 22, the rear wall 16, the bottomwall 15 and the side walls 18 and HI-thereof, are disposed injuxtaposition to" the partition wall 34, the bottom-wall 29, and theside walls 32 and 33, respectively, of the housing 22, and the frontwall 17 of the firebox 26 is disposed in alignment with the upperportion of the front wall 31 of the housing 22. As is best seen in Figs.1 and 2, the rear wall 16, the front wallTl and the sidewalls 18 and. 19of the firebox 26 are so constituted and arranged that when the firebox26 is disposed in the aforementioned normal operating position in thehousing 22, the upper surface of these walls affords a ledge or shelfprojecting inwardly from the adjacent corresponding wallsof the housing22. 7 As is'best's'een in Fig. l, the rear wall 16 is somewhat shorterthanthe front wall 11 of the firebox 26' and the upper surfaces of theside walls wand 19 thereof slope downwardly fromthe upperfsur face ofthe front wall 11. to the uppersurface of the rear wall 16. Notches 83,84 and 85 are formed in the inner upper edge portion of the front wall11 and-the side walls 16 and .19, respectively, of the firebox-26 andafford ledges which are disposed in sealing engagement with the adjacentedge portions of r the header, 42 when the firebox 26 is disposed in theafor e. mentioned normal operating position- .Therear wall 16 of thefirebox 26 'is of such a height that when the firebox 26 is disposedinthe aforesaid normal operating position, the upper surface aoozzozsthereof is in sealing engagement with the rear edge portion ofthe-hea'der-H; V r

Suitable means such ;as,ffor example, an oil burner B, of a typewellknown tothose-skilled in the art, may "b'e"mounted-*in theacc'essorysection 36 of thehousing'n' for feeding fuel and air into the firebox 26during an; operation of our device. 7 9

Aligned openings 88 and 89 are alforded in the partition wall 54 of thehousing Z'Z'and -the rear wall '18 of the firebox 25,respec-tively,--to'afior-d means throughwhich fuel and air may be'fedfrom the burner B into the firebox 26,, the oil burner B shown in theaccompanying drawings embodying a nozzle EN, which is shownextendingthrough the openings Standtfi, Fig. 1, into the firebox 26, inpositio-nto feed fuel and air into the firebox 25 in a manner-wellknownto those skilled in the art; f I Two metering plates or control-plates91' and 92, Figs. land 5, are mounted in the headers All and 42,respectively, in parallel relation to the end walls and 59. Each of theplates 9| and 92 extends entirely across the header 4G or 42 in which iti mounted to afford a partition wall therein which is in engagement withthe top wall, bottom wall and'two sidewalls of the header within whichit is mounted. The metering plate '9! is disposed, between the outletpipe '91 and .the closestadjacent water tubes 44, and, likewise, theplate 92 is disposed between the inlet pipe 55 and the closest adjacentwater tubes 44.

Each of the metering plates 9| and 9.2 has five openings 95, 96, 91, 98and 99, Fig.'5,' ,formed therein which are of such predetermineddiameter, and are so constituted and arranged, that efiective control ofthe passage of the water from the pipe 65 into the water tubes 44', andfrom the tubes 44 into the outlet pipe 61, is afforded in such a mannerthat water passing through the heatexchange unit 24 is "substantiallyevenly distributed among thewater tubes 44. I

With the boiler constructed in the manner shown in the accompanyingdrawings, .and wherein the inlet pipe 65 and the outlet pipe 61 areconnected to the central portion of the rear wall 59 and the front wall5i of the-headers 42 and 44, respectively, we have found that to effectthe aforesaid even distribution of the water flow through the watertubes 44, it is desirable that the central opening 91 in the. controlplates 92 and 91 be of a predetermined diameter which is considerablyless than the diameter of the inlet pipe 55 and outlet pipe 61,respectively. The openings 95 and 99 which are disposed most closely.adjacent to the ends of the plates 91 and '92 of the five openingsdisposed therein, "preferably have a diameter somewhat larger than theopening 91 but still considerably smaller than the diameter of the pipes65 and 61. Likewise, the intermediate openings 96 and 98, between thehaving an internal diameter of, substantially 2", the-opening 91preferablyhas' adiameter ofsub stantially the two openings 95and'99-pref erably have diameters of substantially; 1 3 and the; twoopenings '96 and 98 preferablyhave diametersof:substantially" 1%,;f 97?With the boiler zoeensamted in the aforementioned manner} it been found}that the fiowof water through the water tubes 4 4' is substantiallyequally distributed thereamongand with a minimum 'of;resistance'--to thefiW of water through the heat-exchange unit-2 4; Thus, it will be seenthat, the operation of our novel boiler, water maYbe -fed' by the pumpPthrough the inlet pipe fi5jand theend wall 59 into the header 42,whence it flows-through the openings 95-99 in the'metering plate 92, the

water tubes 44 and into "the header 48'. The

' the header 4.!) down past the front. end portion central opening 91and. the end openings 95 and 99, respectively, are preferably of adiameter somewhat larger than that of the openings 95 and 99, but stillconsiderably less than the diameter of the pipes and 61.

As a specific example of the approximate preferred size of the openingsthrough the plates 9! and. 92, we have found that when using headershaving a depth of substantially 3", a width of substantially 14%" and alength of substantially 17%", and when using water tubes having aninternal diameter of substantially 2", and fire tubes having an internaldiameter of substantially 1 A", and when using inlet and outlet pipesthereof, across the outside .of the water tubes 44 and outwardly throughtheopening L1 and the exhaust duct 13 whence itzrnay be fed to the sph ethrou h suitable means su has a smoke stack, not shown, Thus it will beseen that the water in the headersAll 4.2 and: the fire tubes areheatedbl 1: 33 Passing 1 3 ward-1y ,therethroueh and pa -ins ransverselyacross the outsid thereof effici nt manner- R movable panels. VI 02.andzalll lmay be, mount d on the top wall 28 an the front wall 31 ofthe housing 22, if desired, to thereby facilitate cleaning of the upperportion-tot the chamber .38 and permitting ready access .t'o theheateexch'ange unit 24. f v

Also, it will be seen that the removable firebox 2-6 affords ready'acce'ss to the lower portion of the -char'n-ber 38' and to the lowerend portion of the heat-exchange unit '24 to'thereby permit readycleaning'and repair of the heat-exchange unit 24 and thelower housing22.

'F'romthe foregoing it will' be seen that we have I afforded a novelboilerwhich may be readily and economically constructed and wherein theflow of Water th ugh th waterftubes. thereof is evenly distributed tothereby prevent. "localized sweating of certain of thetubes ahasibeenheretofore experienced in boilers known in the art.

Also, it will be seen that we have afforded a novel boiler embodying anovel firebox which may be quickly and readily removed or replaced inthe housin of the boiler and wherein ready access is afforded to theinterior of the boiler for the purpose of repairing or cleaning theboiler housing or units such as the heat-exchange unit mounted therein.

Thus, while we have illustrated and described the preferred embodimentof our invention, it is to be understood that this is capable ofvariation and modification and we therefore do not wish to be limited tothe precise details set forth, but desire to avail ourselves of suchchange and interior portion of the alterations as fall within thepurview of the following claims. V V

We=claimz Q 1. A boiler comprising a housing, a drawer slidably mountedin said housing and movable into and out of a predetermined position inthe latter, a heat-exchange unit mounted in said. housing, saidheat-exchange unit "including: a. header mounted in said housing inposition toengage said drawer when said drawer is disposed in saidpredetermined position and to afford a top wall therefor, means mountedon said housing for feeding fuel and air into said drawer for combustiontherein,-means connectedto said heatexchange unit for feeding waterthereinto, and means including saidheat-exchange unit for feedingcombustion products from said drawer to the atmosphere. 1

-2. A boiler comprising a housing having side walls, a top wall, and abottom wall defining a combustion area therebetween, a drawer comprisinga bottom wall, and side walls projecting upwardly therefrom, said drawerbeing slidably mounted in said housing with said bottom wall of saiddrawer engaged with said bottom wall of said housing, said drawer beingoperable to be disposed in a predetermined position in said housingwherein said side walls of said drawer are disposed in engagement withcorresponding side walls of said. housing and to be moved onsaid bottomwall outwardly. from said position relative to said housing,corresponding side walls on one side of said housing and said drawerhaving aligned openings formed therein, means mounted in said openingwhen said drawer is disposed in said predetermined position for feedingfuel into said drawer for combustion therein, and a heatexchange unitfor passing water through said combustion area in heat-exchange relationto combustion products from said drawer. r

3. A boiler comprising a housing having walls defining a combustion areatherein, a drawer slidably mounted in the lower end portion of saidhousing and having a normal predetermined position in said housingwherein said drawer affords an inwardly projecting ledge extendingaround said combustion area, said drawer being movable outwardly fromsaid housing away from said predetermined position, a water headermounted in said housing in position to engage said ledge when saiddrawer is in said predetermined position in said housing, another waterheader mounted in said housing in spaced relation to said firstmentioned header, means for feeding water into and out of said headers,means for feeding fuelinto said drawer .for combustion in said housing,and means including fire tubes mounted in and extending through saidheaders for feeding combustion products from said drawer through saidheaders and to the atmosphere.

4. A boiler comprising a housing having sid walls, a front wall, a rearwall, a top wall and a bottom wall, said wallsdefining a chambertherebetween, means including an upper and a lower header for passingwater through said chamber, a drawer afiording a removable fireboxmounted in said housing below said lower header, said drawer comprisinga bottom wall and a front wall, rear wall and two side Walls projectingupwardly from said last mentioned bottom wall, said drawer beingoperable to be disposed in a predetermined position in said housing withsaid side walls, rear wall and front wall of said drawer disposed insealing engagement with the peripheral edge portion of said lower headerand to be moved outwardly therefrom into outwardly projecting relationto said housing, means mounted on said housing for feeding fuel intosaid drawer for combustion in said chamber when said drawer is disposedin said predetermined position, and means including conduits in saidlower header for feeding combustion products from said drawer throughsaid chamber to the atmosphere.

5. A boiler comprising a housing having wall means defining an upper andlower chamber, one portion of said housing being slidable inwardly andoutwardly relative to the other pore tion of said housing, said. lowerchamber being defined in said one portion, means including aheat-exchange unit mounted in said upper chamber for feeding hot gasesfrom said lower chamber to the atmosphere, said heat-exchange unit beingoperable to engage said first mentioned portion of said housing whensaid first mentioned portion of said housing is in said inwardlydisposed position to thereby afford a partition wall between said upperand lower chambers, and means for feeding liquid into said heat-exchangeunit into heat-exchange relationshipwith such hot gases.

CHARLES T. DENKER. JOHN R. MOORE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the

